Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to financial transactions. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and systems for utilizing available product information during a financial transaction.
Various types of filters to block or prevent unsolicited and/or unwanted emails (commonly referred to as “spam”) from reaching a recipient's email inbox are well-known and widely used. These filters typically scan the contents and/or headers of an incoming email for keywords, patterns, attachments, sources, addresses, etc. for information indicative of an unsolicited email. If an email is judged by the filter to be spam, the email is not delivered to the recipient's inbox. In some cases, the email may be directed to an alternative destination such as a specially designated folder.
Filtering of outgoing email is also sometimes performed. For example, outgoing email can be filtered to prevent the origination or propagation of spam or to prevent the dissemination of certain information. As with filters on incoming email, a filter on outgoing email can scan the contents and/or headers of an outgoing email for keywords, patterns, attachments, source addresses, etc. for information meeting certain predefined criteria. Such filters are implemented on a mail server supporting multiple clients. In this way, a common set of criteria can be applied to multiple clients, e.g., those clients within a company or organization.
However, such server-based outgoing email filters have some limitations and disadvantages. For example, depending upon the implementation, license for the software, etc., such approaches can be costly and/or cumbersome to manage. Also, such filters may not be useful to all organizations. For example, a loosely organized or informal organization may not use a mail server. Rather, such an organization may rely on a collection of individuals using individual email clients that do not send and receive email through the same servers. Therefore, a server-based filter cannot operate across these individual clients. Hence, there is a need in the art for improved methods and systems for securing outbound email.